Alarm-clock.



PATENTBD AUG. 25, 1908. E. BLLAPHAM & J. WALKER.

ALARM CLOCK. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.-25, 1907. RENEWED JUNE s, 1908.

fmfmom l/yam CUM flf/arney UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN B. LAPI-IAM AND JAMES WALKER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO SETH THOMAS CLOCK COMPANY, OF THOMASTON, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

ALARM-CLOCK.

,Sp ecification of Letters' Patent.

Patented Aug. 25, 1908.

Application filed September 25 1907, Serial No. 394,434. Renewed June 3, 1908. Serial No. 436,470.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWIN B. LAPI-IAM and JAMns WALKER, citizens of the United States,'residing at New Yorkcity, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Alarm-Clocks, of which the following is a clear, full, and exact description.

Our invention relates to an alarm clock mechanism.

Alarm clocks have been constructed so that when the alarm goes oil it will ring continuously, that is, for fifteen or twenty minutes for example, unless shut off by hand, but, if the person who shuts off the alarm forgets to reset the same, the alarm will not be given at the proper time the next morning, for example, and this fact has made such an alarm clock extremely unsatisfactory.

In carrying out our invention in the em "bodiment shown in the drawings, we have provided an eight-day clock movement with an alarm which will ring continuously for twenty minutes, for example, unless shut off, and have provided a hand-operated shut-off mechanism to arrest the'alarm train and restore the holding mechanism to normal position, together with suitable means which will restore the hand-operated mechanism to its normal position automatically without the necessity of restoring the same by hand.

In the accompanying drawings which show the preferred form of our invention, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a clock mechanism provided with our invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in elevation showing the mechanism of our invention in normal non-ringing condition Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 2 but showing the mechanism in ringing position in full lines, and in dotted lines the mechanism at the instant of resetting; Fig. 4 is a partial side elevation of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the hour shaft on an enlarged scale.

The ringing train. The hammer 1 is pivoted on the escapement shaft 2, and is provided with backwardly extending arm 3 bent at its end 4 so that the end 4 will normally ism comprises a spring motor 13, gears 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, the last of which operates the shaft 22 of the escapement wheel 23 as is usual. Through ordinary clock earing not shown for the sake of clearness, the tubular hour shaft 24 and the shaft 25 for the minute hand are operated.

The setting mechanism.0n the tubular hour shaft 24 there is frictionally mounted a sleeve 26 carrying a gear 27 and a dial 29. The dial 29 is marked with hour divisions. The gear 27 meshes with a gear 30 of twice the diameter of the gear 27. The gear 30 is marked on one half I. M. and on the other half A. M. The gear 30 is rotatable on a stud 31 and carries with it a cam plate 32 provided with a pin 33. Consequently the position of the pm 33 can be changed relatively to hands of the clock by rotating the dial sleeve.

The holding means.-A latch 35 having steps 36 and 37 is freely pivoted to the frame at 38. A holding lever 5 pivoted at 40 carries a pin 41 in its mid position, a pin 42 near the latch 35 and a bent end 43 at its end diametrically over the cam plate 32. In locked or normal position the pin 42 rests on the step 36 of the latch 35 as shown in Fig. 2, and the holding lever 5 is held against the bent end 4 of the hammer lever 3. hen the pin 33 on the cam plate 32 strikes the latch 35, the holding lever 5 falls and rests on the periphery of the cam plate 32 until such time as the precipitous side of the same passes the bent end 43 of the holding lever 5,

The hand-operated resettingmeana-5hould one wish to stop the ringing bell, the following apparatus is brought into play. A bell crank lever 44 pivoted to the frame at 45 is formed with a finger piece 46 at one end and a slot 47 at the other end. A straight lever 48 pivoted at 49 is provided with a pin 50 on aforesaid slot and a cam edge 51 at its upper end. Upon throwing the bell crank lever 45 onto the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3, the cam surface 51 will engage the pin 41 on the holding lever 5, raise the lever and allow the latch 35 to fall into the position of the dotted lines and thus hold the hammer lever and escapement 6 and stop the alarm. A spring 52 returns the lever to normal position so that when next the pin 33 strikes the latch 35 the latch will free the holding lever 5 to allow it to be released by the cam 3 The dial 2t) which forms means tor adjusting the let oll' cam 32 may be grasped by the thin gers so as to rotate it and its sleeve upon the hour hand shalt 24 so to bring any portion of said disk underneath the hour-hand, which will obviously rotate gears 27 and 3t) and consecpiently cam The numbered. hour divisions on said dial constitute means for determining the adjustment of said cam 32. Said disk 29, sleeve and wheels 27 and 5t) therel'ore constitute one. form of a hamloperated se ting means adjustable with relation to said clock mmwement and adapted to set the lOlT-Oll cam. so that it will be ready to operate at any pre-determined time.

\Vhile we have described our invention partitailarly with rel'erence to the embodiment shownin the drawings, itwill be obvious that many variations may be made from that construction shown without departing from the spirit ol" our invention as claimed, and we therefore do not limit ourselves to the construction illustrated in the drawii'igs.

hat we claim is:

1. In combination a clock movement, an. alarm mechanism, holding means normally preventing said alarm mechanism from operating, let-otl' means operated by said clock movement and adapted to release said holding means and allow said alarm meclnmism to operate until said holding means is re-set by hand, hand-operated resetting means adapted to restore said. holding means to normal position to stop said alarm mechanism, means to automatically restore said hand-operatetl re-setting means to normal position, and hand-operated setting means adjustable with relation to said clock movement and adapted to set said let-oil means for operation at a predetermined time 2. in combination a clock movement, an alarm mechanism, holding means normally preventing said alarm mechanism from operating, let-oil means normally operated by said clock movement once in twentv-lour hours and adapted to release said holding means and allow said alarm mechanism to operate until said holdii'ig means is re-set by hand, lmml-operated re-setting means adapted to restore said holding means to normal position. to stop said alarm mechanism, means to automati rally restore said hamloperated re-setting means tonormal position, and hand-operated setting means adjustable with relation to said clock movement and adapted to set said let-oll' means for operation at a predetermined time. i

In combination a. clock movement, an alarm mechanism, holdii'ig means normally preventing said alarm mechanism from operating, .let-oll' means normally operated by said clock movement once in twenty-tour hours and comprising a 521111 rotated. by said clock movement and adapted to release said holding means and allow said alarm mechanism. to operate until said. holding means is re-set by hand, hand-operated re-setting means adapted to restore said holding means to normal positionto stopsaidalarm mechanism, means to automatically restore said. hand-operated re-setting means to normal position, and. haml-operated. setting means adjustable with relation to said clock movement and adapted to set said ltl'rtiil means for operation at a pretletermincd time.

in. combination a clocx movement, an alarm mechanism independent ol' said clock in vement, holding means normally preventing said. alarm mechanism from operating, let-ott means operated. by said clock movement and adapted to release said holding means and allow said alarm mechanism to operate until said holding means is rc-set by hand, hand-operated ie-sctting means adapted to restore said holding means to normal position to stop said. alarm mechanism, means to automatically restore said hamloperated 1'esetting means to normal position, and hand-operated setting means adjustable with relation to said clock movement and adapted to set said leto.'l' means for operation at a pretletermined time.

5. In combination a clock movement, an alarm mechanism, holding means normally preventing said alarm. mechanism. from operating, said holding means comprising a movable part and a. latch. normally holding said movable part in position, a let-ofi' device moved by said clock movement, means operated by said clock movement and adapted to move said latch and release said movable portion of said holding means and allow the same to move to and rest on said let-oft device without releasing said alarm, said. let-ofl' device being adapted to al'teivrards t'ully release said movable portion to allow the alarm mechanism to operate until said movable portion is restored. to normal position, means to restore. said. holding means to normal position, and. hand-operated setting means adjustable vrith. relation to said clock movement and adapted to set said let-ol' device for operation at a predetermined. time.

6. in combination a clocl; movement, an alarm mechanism, holding means normally preventing said alarm mechanism lrom operating,- said holding means comprising a movable part and a latch normally holding said movable part in position, a let-ofl' device moved by said clock movement, means operated by said clock movement and adapted. to move said latch and release said movable portion of said holding means and allov; the same to move to and rest on said let-'oll' device without releasing said. alarm, said let-of? device being adapted to al'terwards l'ully rele: se said movable portion to allow the alarm mechanism to operate until said movable portion is restored to normal position, hand-operated means to restore said holding means to normal position, and hand-operated setting means adjustable with relation to said clock movement and adapted to set said leto;"l' device for operation at a predetermined time.

7. In combination a clocl: movement, an alarm mechanism operable independently of said clock movement, holding means'normally preventing said alarm mechanism from operating and comprising a movable lever and a latch adapted to hold said lever in alarm locking osition, means operated by said clock movement and adapted to move said latch and allow said lever to move to and rest upon a twenty-four hour cam without releasing said alarm mechanism, said cam being moved by said clock movement and adapted to fully release said lever thereafter to release said alarm mechanism, a handoperated stop lever and mechanism operated thereby for restoring said first lever and latch to normal position to stop said alarm, and a spring to restore said stop lever to normal position when released, and hand-operated means adapted to set said let-oll cam for operation at a predetermined time.

8. In combination a clock movement, an alarm mechanism, holding means normally preventing said alarm mechanism from operating, let-oil means operated by said clock movement and adapted to release said holding means and allow said alarm mechanism to operate until said holding means is reset, hand-operated resetting means adapted to engage said holding means for restoring the same to normal condition to stop said alarm mechanism, means to automatically restore said hand-operated resetting means to normal position, thereby withdrawing the same from said holding means, means for retaining said holding means in normal position upon the Withdrawal of said resetting means,

and hand-operated setting means adjustable with relation to said clock movement and adapted to set said let-oil device for operation at a predetermined time.

9. In combination, a clock movement, an alarm mechanism, holding means for normally preventing the operation of said alarm,

a let-oil device actuated by said clock move ment to release said holding means once in 24 hours and allow said alarm to operate until said holding means is reset, hand-operated resetting means to restore said holding means to normal position to, stop said alarm I and simultaneously place said holding means in condition to be again released by said letoil device, and handoperated setting means adjustable with relation to said clock movement and adapted to set said let-oil device for operation at a predetermined time.

10. In combination, a clock movement, an alarm mechanism, holding means for nor- ,mally preventing the operation of said alarm, a a let-oil device actuated by said clock movel ment to periodically release said holding means once in 24 hours, and allow said alarm to operate until said holding means is reset i by hand, hand operated resetting means I adapted to restore said holding means to normal position, thereby stopping said alarm, said resetting means being normally out of engagement with said holding means except when restoring the same to normal position,

with relation to said clock movement and adapted to set said let-oil means for operation at a predetermined time.

11. In combination, a clock movement, an alarm mechanism, holding means for normally preventing the operation of said alarm, a let-oil device actuated by said clock movement to periodically release said holding means and allow said alarm to operate until said holding means is reset by hand, handoperated resetting means adapted to engage said holding means and reset the same to normal position, thereby stopping said alarm and means for automatically disengaging said resetting means from said holding means before the next periodic operation of the letofl' device, and hand-operated setting means adjustable with relation to said cloekmovement and adapted to set said let-oil means for operation at a predetermined time.

12. In combination, a clock movement, an alarm mechanism, a holding means comprising a movable part and a latch normally engaging said movable part to hold the same in normal position, a let-oil device operated by said clock movement to periodically release said holding means and. allow said alarm to operate until said holding means is reset by hand, hand-operated means to reset said holding means to normal position, thereby stopping said alarm, and hand-operated setting means adjustable with relation to said clock movement and adapted to set said letoff device for operation at a predetermined time.

13. In combination a clock movement for operating the hour and minute hands of a clock, an alarm mechanism, holding means for normally preventing said alarm mechanism from operating, 'a let-oil device normally releasing said holding means once in 24 hours to allow said alarm mechanism to operate until said holding means is reset by hand, said let-oil device being adjustably connected to said clock movement, hand-operated means for adjusting said let-oil device to release said holding means at any predetermined time during said 24 hours, and means for determining such adjustment and handoperated resetting means adapted to restore said holding means to normal position and thereby stop said alarm.

14. In combination a clock movement for and hand-operated setting means adjustable operating the hour and minute hands of a clock, an alarm mechanism, holding means for normally preventing said alarm mechanism from operating and having a stationary location relative to said clock movement, a let-oil device normally releasing said holding means once in 24 hours to allow said alarm mechanism to operate until said holding means is reset by hand, said let-oil device being adjustably connected to said clock movement, hand-operated means for adjusting -said let-0H device to release said holding means at any predetermined time during said 24 hours, and means for determining such adjustment comprising a 12 hour dial connected to said let-o'f'l' device and mounted j adjacent said hour hand to be adjusted relative thereto, hand-operated resetting means adapted to restore said holding means to normal position and thereby stop said alarm.

Signed at New York, Y. this 24 day of September 1907.

EDXV IN B. LAPIIAM. JAMES VALKE Ii.

VJitnesses:

EMERSON R. N EWELL, Isrnon GLAZER. 

